Bloodsworn
by unholyfury
Summary: Follow the creation of the Blood Knight order through the eyes of a new recruit, only to watch as tragedy strikes the once proud race time and time again. But death is not the end, and the recruit realizes more than ever what it means to be a paladin


It's been a long time since I've written anything (BTW if you found this story from author alert, I'm sorry but I'm not continuing my other story. It had little direction because I was pretty much making it up as I went along. This time will be different.), and although I had planned this a couple years ago, I only just started writing it now. I hope you enjoy it, and please review!

**Some story info**

Time Period: During the Second War. Blood Elves do not exist yet. Only High Elves, who are still affiliated with the Alliance.

Main Character: Female High Elf. By human standards she would be somewhere along the lines of 14-18 years old probably. Elves age differently than humans though, so she's probably like 40. Yes... I am basing this on my character from WoW, but fear not. I hope to make this as realistic and story-like as possible. None of that "AND THEN I HIT SCOURGEWARRIOR FOR 15 HOLY DAMAGE" stuff. Also, since it is a story of her life, it will be skipping time from time to time. A few years might go between chapter to chapter, but I will say something beforehand.

- THERE WILL BE LORE INACCURACIES. Sorry. I've had to change a couple things around to make my story fit. I'll probably post the inaccuracies at the end of each chapter, just because. If you see something I missed, point it out. My alliance lore is a bit lacking. Most of what I know is from reading Tides of Darkness, and I don't even have the book with me right now.

- IT WILL START OFF BORING. Sorry. I'm out of practice and life stories are boring in general.

- Finals coming up. But since I'm acing my classes, I probably will have time to stick with the story.

- I have bad writers block. If I don't update in awhile, send me hate-mail if you liked the story. (I'm serious... sort of).

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><p>.<p>

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_To my dearest Varinda and Kalinda Hawkwing,_

_ Much has passed since I last wrote. Months ago, when I first laid eyes on the human Alliance and their leader Lord Anduin Lothar, I thought surely there was no force which would pose even the slightest of threats to our cause. But many grueling months of fighting has brought with it many surprises, most of them poor. _

_ I'm sure you heard the rumors of the fires and fighting in Eversong forest not too long ago? They wish us not to tell people, to not cause panic, but since that danger has passed, it was all too true. We now move to Lordaeron, but we fear it may be too late. Word has it that the Alliance was betrayed by one of their very own. What humans do to one another will never cease to amaze me._

_ I remain hopeful for an optimistic end to this war, but the longer it drags on, the less confidence I have. I hope to keep you informed as we press on, but time may not permit me to do so in these difficult times._

_ May the eternal sun guide us,_

_ Ranger Perathor._

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I grasped the letter in my hand, rereading it as I blindly walked the pathway back to our house. It was the first letter dad had sent us in months, and I feared for him; caught in between the wars of humans and the invaders termed orcs.

The light of our lamps flared up a few feet in front of me, catching me unawares. They were magicked to light up when darkness fell, and I then realized how fast the sky had darkened while I was out. Winter was soon to follow, and while the magic permeating the city kept it fairly warm; the effects of winter could not completely be negated by magic.

Returning my eyes to the weathered piece of parchment, I pushed the door open and headed inside.

"Finally you're back." I heard my mom's voice ring out as I closed the door behind me. I followed the sound of her voice to the kitchen, where I deposited the sack I held in my other hand. "Did you remember to get the eg… what's that?" She said sharply, as she noticed the paper.

"Letter from dad." Was all I said, as I handed it over. She brushed her hair aside before scrutinizing the words on the letter.

"Well… at least we know he's okay." She said, before tossing it aside and returned to her cooking. Her disinterest surprised me.

"Everything fine?" I casually asked. I thought she would be at least show some interest in the news, as dire as it was.

"Yes… yes." She absentmindedly thought aloud as she started dropping chunks of chicken inside a pot. Soup… it seemed. "…Just a cold I've had for a few days. A few others have gotten sick too; just something that's been spreading." I secretly worried about her. After dad had left she had been left to support and care for both of us by herself. I was not surprised that the stress had left her vulnerable to sickness.

Not seeing anything I could help with, though, I turned to leave. But before I turned into the hallway, she stopped me. "There was an elf looking for you earlier, while you were out. Wouldn't say why; seemed pretty bothersome. Rather old too; thought you should know." I nodded my understanding, but she had already turned away, so I headed out.

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Some amount of time had passed when I left my room, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I passed through the living room on my way to the kitchen, and saw mom sleeping on the couch, an empty bowl lying on the ground. I must have slept longer than I had thought.

I picked up the bowl and continued on to the kitchen, where I found my dinner, still slightly warm. I took it and headed to the table, but a knock at the door interrupted me. Scowling slightly, I set it back and bounded to the door. It would probably be cold by the time I got back to it.

I opened the door and was greeted by the old elf mom had been talking about earlier. His need must have been important if he seeked me out twice in such a short time, but I could not think of a single reason why.

"Can I help you?" I asked him; sourness at leaving my dinner uneaten unintentionally creeping into my voice. I hoped he didn't notice.

"Where is the other woman, your mother?" He said in a strong voice which contradicted his elderly appearance.

"Uhh… she's resting; she is ill. She mentioned that you were looking for me though?" I questioned him. I couldn't think of why he would ask about her when he had already met her earlier while seeking me out.

He grabbed my arm and then swiftly dragged me outside, the door closing behind me. I yelped as I stumbled, nearly losing my balance.

"Look…" He said, as I snatched my arm back, glaring at him. This elf must be crazy. His old age had gotten to him or something.

"Look…" he repeated, gesturing at the darkness around us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw our lamps dim, and then go out. I realized that he must have done that himself, so he must be a mage.

The show of power convinced me that maybe he had something important to say. So in the near darkness of night, I looked; seeking something he could see, but I could not. Moments passed in stillness, as my breathing resounded, heavy and loud in the otherwise silent city.

"Here… look here." He said in a quieter voice, pointing at my shoulder, and that's when I started to see it. So faint it was barely visible, even when I knew now what I was looking for; there was a light… golden and dusty. It seemed to cascade slowly around me, before fading out into the darkness once it fell far enough away.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, but he merely shook his head.

"It is not I, child. It comes from you." I said nothing; just sitting there watching the particles being bathed in the golden light, as faint as it was, and falling into nothingness beyond. It seemed like an ancient and noble beauty, and it held me there, captivated.

"Few are blessed so… and even fewer at such a tender age." He spoke up, after another minute of silence. "It marks the strength of your inner fire; your dedication and hold over the holy light. With this blessed connection, the path of the priest or paladin opens widely; it beckons you and will welcome you with open arms. All you need to do is decide."

The term paladin surprised me. News from the conflict spoke of the rise of these so called warriors of the light. Supposedly their strength was unmatched, and their accomplishments lent truth to the rumors. To find out more would interest me, but to become one… I did not know of elves becoming paladins, only humans.

"I… I'm not sure if I can decide." I stammered.

"You don't know about the Order, am I correct?" I nodded yes, wondering what order he was talking about. "I'll have someone stop by tomorrow, and he can explain more. He will be able to tell you more than I can."

I nodded again, and just like that he turned to leave, quickly swallowed in the thick darkness of night. Not long after, the lamps relit. Still bewildered, I stood there thinking for a moment, before stepping inside.

I wished to tell mom everything the elf had told me, but when I checked in on her she was still resting, sleeping off the illness she had caught. I figured I would tell her in the morning, so I decided to rest as well, in case the other elf who would teach me more came earlier than I expected.

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I awoke sometime midmorning, to the chirping of birds and the streams of light flowing through my window. But despite the noise outside, it was quiet inside the house. I dragged myself out of bed, and got dressed for the day.

I figured I should probably make breakfast myself if mom was still sick, so I headed into the kitchen. I tossed some wood into the stove, and lit it with magic the way mom had taught me. While I waited for it to heat up, I took out a pan and cracked the eggs I had bought yesterday.

The stove would still not be hot enough for a while, so I left the kitchen to check in on mom. I found her still on the couch, but when I reached her I noticed that something was wrong.

She seemed far sicker than I remembered. Sweat trickled down her face, and her skin was pale and burning; I could feel the heat radiating off of her head a half-meter away. I could see her eyes moving feverishly behind her eyelids, but she did not wake up.

Concerned, I ran to the kitchen to get a damp towel to cool her hot skin. Returning, I dabbed the sweat away before covering her forehead. I thought to myself that if this illness got any worse, I should try to find a priest who could cure her. I might even need to fetch one at this point already.

But before I could decide what to do, a knock sounded from the door. I didn't want to leave her side, but it was probably the elf from the paladin order, so I left the room to find out.

Standing outside the door was a tall, fit elf, many years my senior. I judged him to be around my mother's age. He was dressed in a blood-red suit of chainmail and plate from what my inexperienced eye could tell, was of very good make. A long scabbard rested easy at his side, and a matching shield across his back. His eyes, while sharp and calculating, seemed kind, and his graying facial hair helped convey a sense of calmness and confidence.

But the thing I saw first was the golden glow enshrouding him. The dusty particles twinkling as they reached a certain angle; I had checked and could not see my own supposed glow this morning, but his was visible even while standing in direct sunlight.

"Please… come in." I murmured, still distracted by the glow, and of my mother's illness. I stepped aside as his boots contacted heavily with the floor, and he closed the door behind him.

"Thank you." He said in a fair voice. "My name is Bachi; Voren'thal told me of a potential recruit… you?" I nodded in response.

"Well… I suppose he didn't tell you much about us, so let's start with that. Our order is a small division of the Order of the Silver Hand; we call ourselves the Blood Knights. The Silver Hand, made by the humans of course, was also created not too long ago. But although we are a new group, our accomplishments are already becoming known."

"Before being formally inducted as a full member and knight, you go through a trial as an initiate. You will probably stay at this rank for two to three years, while we hone your combat skills, tactical knowledge, and spiritual knowledge. Once you are deemed worthy, you can then proceed to the rank of adept."

He continued to lecture more about higher ranks, but I was barely paying attention. I wanted to go back into the living room to check in on mom, but I did not want to seem rude.

I started to sweat slightly as I debated whether or not to tell him that I needed to see to my mother, but I remained there, fidgeting in indecision. I vaguely heard him mention light, and energy, but I could not focus on his words.

I heard him go silent, before suddenly his words cut into my mind clearly and audibly. "Something distracts you, is everything fine?" He asked.

"…n…No. It's my mother… she has fallen ill." I stuttered.

"A practical demonstration might benefit. Show me to her." He requested, so I gestured around the corner towards the living room. He set off, with me following shortly behind.

I heard him gasp as he entered the room, and I had to cut off a scream as I saw what had bothered him so. My mother's health had quickly deteriorated since I had last seen her. Her face was a sickly green and brown color, and several oozing pustules dotted her skin. Her breaths were as shaky as they were irregular.

"How long has it been like this?" He said as he bent down to examine her.

"Just… she… she's been ill for a few days, but not like this. She wasn't like this not twenty minutes ago." I warbled, hysteria raising my pitch to a shrill.

He remained silent, and looked as if he was focusing. The light surrounding him started to grow in intensity, and before long the room was suffused in the brilliant golden hue. Before my eyes, the pustules shrank, and then disappeared; the discolored skin regained its original color and health.

Her breathing stabilized, and I breathed a sigh of relief, but still he did not let up. Only after another full minute did he let the light fade away to its original intensity, and then he stood back and admired his work.

"What happened?" I asked, after I was sure he was done. "Why was she like that?"

"I… I'm afraid…" He spoke after a moment, as if just realizing something. "I had not realized… I did not think… There have been reports of vile sicknesses spreading in the northern parts of the Eastern Kingdoms…. But I did not think that it would spread this far."

"She told me that there were others that were sick, and that she might have caught it from them." I remembered suddenly.

He looked seriously at me. "Then this needs immediate discussion and action. Forgive me for ending our meeting so soon, but I will return to tell you more about the Order."

I nodded my understanding. "I'll leave the door unlocked… so… well you know where to find me. Just let yourself in."

"Keep an eye on her until I return. Her fever may come back." Then he turned to leave. A few seconds later I heard the door shutting as he hurried away.

I turned back to mom. She looked far better than before, but she still didn't awaken. I retrieved the towel from earlier, and after dampening it, laying it across her forehead again. I just remembered the eggs I had never cooked, but the fire would have died out by now. I found I wasn't very hungry regardless, so I sat next to the couch and soon felt myself drift off to sleep, thoughts of wielding the wondrous powers I had just witnessed running wildly through my mind.

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**INACCURACIES**

**(1) -**Arthas is not the Lich King yet, in fact he's still a child, so the plague means no sense. In lore, Kel'thuzad doesn't create the Cult of the Damned until he sides with the Lich King. In my story... well let's assume that Kel'thuzad was a pretty evil dude beforehand too, and he created the Cult of the Damned early. He starts experimenting with the plague, with not much success. It can kill, but he's having trouble with the reanimating part. Don't worry Kel, Arthas will soon help you out.

**(2) -** Blood Knights do not exist yet. I'm not actually sure when they were founded, but it was probably not for some time after the Silver Hand was founded. In this story, assume both were founded around the same time, the beginning of the Second War, which has been going on for months, going on a year possibly.

**(3) - **Gonna add this now, rather than next chapter. In lore, Liadrin begins as a priestess. Pffffttttttttt... she's a paladin from the beginning now. Don't hate... deal with it.

Think that's it for now... sooooooo...

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